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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. S. GEORGE.

GOLD SEPARATE ING APPARATUS.

Patented Deo. 4, 1888.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. s. GEORGE.

GOLD SEPARATING APPARATUS.

No. 894,112. LA12.3.ted Deo. 4, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. GEORGE, OF NEIYPORT, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-[TALE TO J. WI. BRASFIEID, OF SAME PLACE.

GOLD-SEPARATING APPARATUS.v

SPECIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,112, dated December 4, 1888.

Application filed March 29, 1887.

.T0 @ZZ whoml t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GEORGE, a citizen ot' the VUnited States, residing at Newport, in the county of Benton and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in (lrold- Separating Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ol' the invention, suoli as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

Hy invention relates to golil-separating apparatus.

The object ot' mv invention is to produce a machine which will separate the gold from the sand and gravel more effectively than has heretofore heen donc,preventingI any possibility ot' its escape, and accomlilishing the required Aresult simply, cheaplv, and economically.

The invention consists in a feed sluice or box, into which the sand and water are discharged from the separating-sluices or sieveboxes, having at one end a discharge-opening for the sand and water and an automatic valve for govern in the discharge ot' the same; furthermore, in a Afeed sl nice or box having a discharge-opening and valve at its lower end, and a feed-hopper into which said fced-sluice discharges, the valve in the teed-sluice being automaticallyv operated bv a ioat within the feed-hopper to regulate the supplv of' sand and water to the hopper; furthermore, in a pipe leading from the feed-hopper into an amalgamator, said pipe containing a spiral iafnge, around which the sand and water circulate in their passage through the pipe, and an acid-pipe, b v which acid ma)v be injected into the ainalgamating-pan through the feedpipe; furthermore,in a tub and bed-plate encircling the amalgamating kettle or pan to catch the overflow of the amalga-mating-pan, and a settler or box into which the overflow is discharged, said settler or box having a concave bottom, anV upright partition, beneath which the water and sand pass, a perforated pipe upon one side to admit an extra fiow of water to save any gold or floured quicksilvcr, and asieve or sieves on the receiving side to break the i'all of water, gold, or floured Quicksilver,

Serial No.232,854. (No model.)

also a sieve within the discharge side oili the settler to strain the water before its discharge into the vaste-box.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated an embodiment ot my invention, in. which- Figurel is a vertical longitudinal section through the sluices, amalgamating kettle or pan,and settler. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lower end ot' the teed-sluice, showing the fioat and means by which it (merates the valve; and Fig. i is a perspective view ot one of the bridges b v which the rock or gravel is thrown from the sluiee-boxes.

A represents the box or sluice into which the sand to be washed is placed. This box is inclined and has at its lower end an opening, d, covered b v a wire screen, d', which screen extends from the upper end oil the opening to the top ot' the lower end ot the box. This screen separates the large pieces of rock from the fine gravel and sand which pass into the box B through the opening (1, while the rock is thrown upon the bridge d'2, resting upon the box B at the end of the box A, and discharged upon the outside. The box Il is also inclined, and has an opening, b, at its end covered blv a fine screen, b, which separates the gravel and coarse sand and lets the water and tine sand meet a screen in the fecd-sluice (i, upon which the lower end ot' the box Il rests. At the end of the box B and resting upon the feed-sluice is a second bridge, h2, which throws out the gravel and coarse sand-retained by the screen b. At thc lower end of the feedsluice (I is an opening, c, and spout c', discharging into a feed-hopper, I). The opening c is covered by a valve, c2, having arms c3 extending forward npon the outside ot the box through openings in its sides, which arms are engaged b v racks e, extending upward f rom a oat, E, in the feed-hopper D.

An eggshaped amalgamating-pan, If, is placed directl)v beneath the feed-hopper, and is connected therewith b v a large inlet-pipe, G, which stands upright in the kettle and surrounds a projection extending from the bottom of the same and extends into the feedhopper a short distance above its bot-tom IOO through an opening, e, in the lloat. This inlet-pipe G has passing through its center a small perforated standard or pipe, g, around which is arranged a spiral flange, g', down which the water and sand pass into the kettle containing the mercury. The small pipe g is used to inject acid into the amalgamatingpan, by which arrangement the acid is fed immediately upon the mercury. Upon the outside of the kettle is a flange, f, to which is bolted the bed-plate of a tub, H, to catch the overflow, which overflow is strained before leaving' the kettle by two concavo -convex screens, f', and is then carried through the tail-sluice I to the settler or box J.

The settler is composed of a box with a concave bottom, having at its center an upright partitioinj, which divides the Ybox into two compartments. The iirst compartment, into which the sand and water from the amalgamating-kettle are discharged, has near its bottom a perforated pipe, v7", leading from the main water-head, which admits an extra supply of water in the concave lining at the bottom of the box for the purpose of saving any gold or floured Quicksilver that may pass from the kettle. The flow ot' sand and water falls on a screen, j?, in the first compartment, and passes beneath the partitionj into the second compartment, which has a fine screen near its top to again strain the water before passing to the waste-box.

Should there be a too rapid supply ot the water and sand from the sluice-boxes to the kettle, the water will accumulate in the feedhopper D, thereby raising the float and allowing the valve in the end of the feed-sluice to close until the discharge into the kettle re- (luces the amount of water in thehopper, lowering the float, which opens the valve and again permits the iow. f

H aving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a gold-separating' apparatus, the combination of the feed-sluice, the amalgamator, and the valve located between the feed-sluice and amalgamator, and a float operating the valve, substantially as described.

2. In a gold-separating apparatus, the combination of a feed-sluice, the feed-hopper, the amalgamator, and the float-valve, substantially as described.

3, In a gold-separating apparatus, the combination of the feed-sluice, the feed-hopper, and the float-valve comprising the float having the rack and the arin pivoted in the end of the feed-sluice and carrying the valve proper and ainalgamator, substantially as described.

4. In a gold-separating apparatus, the combination of a'feed-sluice and amalgamator, a feed-hopper located between the sluice and amalgamator, and a valve consisting of the oat in the feed-hopper and the valve proper located in the end of the feed-sluice, the valve and float being connected, substantially as described.

5. In a gold-separating apparatus, the combination of the feed-sluice and amalgamator, the feed-hopper, the float-valve` consisting of the float having a rack, and the pivoted arm carrying the valve proper, substantially as described.

G. In a gold-separator, the combination, with the feed-sluice and feed-hopper provided with the float-valve, an amalgamator havingone or more screens, and an inlet-pipe containing a spiral flange, of a settling-box having an upright partition, substantially as described.

7. In a gold-separator, the combination of the feed-sluice and amalgamator, the settler having an upright partition extending nearly to the bottom, a water-pipe, and one Vor more screens, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN S. GEORGE.

W'itn esses:

WILLIAM DAVID COLLINS, WM. ROBERTS. 

